


Reaching Out in Four Directions

by mizface



Category: due South
Genre: Epistolary, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 22:38:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5392868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/pseuds/mizface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four letters Elaine sent over the holidays.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reaching Out in Four Directions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [clevermanka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/clevermanka/gifts).



> This was an interesting challenge - I hope I was able to capture what you wanted, clevermanka!
> 
> A multitude of thanks to my beta for help and encouragement. Always appreciated!

**WEST**

Mama,

Look, I did remember to send a Christmas card this year – didn't forget everything you taught me about manners after all. Teasing, of course I'm teasing, and I know you know that.

So I should really be telling you this over the phone, but I thought maybe the shock of getting mail from me would distract you from the bad news – I won't be able to make it home for Christmas this year. I know, I know – I was supposed to, and yes, I did have the time scheduled off and approved. But Baranski broke his leg chasing down a purse snatcher last week, and Douglas's wife had the baby three weeks early (mother and son are doing fine), and our new guy doesn't transfer in until January, which means we're short-staffed. Before you ask, no I wasn't told I had to stay. But when Lt. Williams asked who'd be willing to volunteer, I had to say yes. I mean, I want to be there, see you and Dad, beat Ricky at cards and try to put a dent in Aunt Joyce's endless supply of cookies and fudge. Be woken up at an ungodly hour to watch the kids demolish in five minutes the picture-perfect tree and presents. But until January I'm still the newest detective there, and the only one without kids.

Please do not add this to your arguments as to why I should settle down and start a family. I'm still very happily single, and love being a detective. Not that I couldn't be married or a mom and do that, but right now, it doesn't feel right.

Anyhow, I'm sorry. I'll call soon and let you give me hell about not being there. And I promise to make it up to you. Pretty sure I can leverage this into some real time off around your birthday. Or you and Dad's anniversary, unless you're still insisting it's no big deal. Which is all kinds of crazy – I may not be married, but I know 50 years is a big deal, and you both deserve a party, putting up with each other that long.

I love you, mama. I'll miss you. Already do.

Talk to you soon,  
Lainie

PS Got any good ideas for toys for Ricky's kids? And by good, you know I mean loud and annoying. That's what being an aunt is all about :)

 

**EAST**

Dear Lt. Welsh,

I know, I know you aren't a lieutenant anymore. But retirement isn't enough to keep me from thinking of you as Lt. Welsh, so there you go. Give me some time, I'm sure I can adjust. I hope this letter finds you well. Oh man, and that's pretty formal too, isn't it. I should just ball this up, start over with a Hello, Harding, but I think I'll keep going. No use in hiding the evidence, right?

I do hope you're doing okay, enjoying visiting your family, relaxing away from the craziness that is a Chicago winter. It's been a typical holiday season, and by typical I do mean just that – same kind of crazies that always pop out of the woodwork this time of year. It hasn't reached Canadian-levels of insanity, however, which is a good thing. While I do miss Fraser sometimes, I definitely do not miss the special brand of crazy he brought with him. 

I know I questioned the decision to have me start my detective track away from the 2-7, but I will admit now that you were right. I had to stop by there today to drop off a few files and it was so strange. There was almost no one there I recognized, and I know it sounds crazy but I swear the place seemed smaller somehow. You'd think it would be bigger without all the huge personalities it used to have to house, yours respectfully included. Made me glad I found my own place at the 1-9. Not that the memories I have of our old precinct are bad, well not for the most part. But it'll always be stuck in time in my head, if that makes sense, with you behind your desk and Ray Vecchio (the original) complaining about something while Jack shakes his head at one of Louis' terrible style choices, or Tom's bad jokes. Trying (and failing, again) to hide the morning donuts from Diefenbaker. Ray (either of them) rolling their eyes at something Fraser's said.

Sorry. Guess the time of year's got me all sentimental. So while I am, and since you aren't here to stop me, let me thank you. Thank you, Harding Welsh. For being a good boss, a decent human being, and one of the finest police officers I've ever had the privilege of working for. Maybe when you're back in town you'll let me buy you a cup of coffee, trade stories. It would be nice to see you again.

Wishing you the best, and happy holidays,  
Det. Elaine Besbriss

 

**SOUTH**

Hey Ray,

Sorry to hear you won't be back in town this Christmas. It's been too long. But at least it leaves more of your Ma's food for me. In case you didn't hear, I ran into Frannie last week when I had to stop by the 2-7. We ended up taking a long lunch and catching up some, and she invited me over for Christmas dinner. No way was I going to say no to that – an invite to a Vecchio holiday feast is not something you turn down. Maybe it'd be different if my mom had been a great cook – maybe I'd be used to it. But since she wasn't, and even if she was I'm staying in Chicago this year, it was really nice of Frannie to ask.

Frannie says you've settled in really well down in sunny Florida. Who'd have thought? Though I guess those shirts you liked to wear were kind of a clue. All teasing aside, I'm glad to hear you and Stella are doing well. I can't imagine doing the job you did and being able to come back and try to pick up where I left off. I think if it had been me, I'd be happy for a change of scenery too.

Things here are good. I was lead in a pretty big case – nothing big enough for you to have heard about, but still, it ended up with several solid arrests. Made me glad I stuck with it. Have I ever thanked you for encouraging me to go for detective? I still remember the speech you gave me – do you? And not to butt in, but if you do, maybe you'd want to give a similar version of it to Frannie. She's a good cop, Ray. And she loves it. And she didn't say anything to me, but I think she'd also love to have some positive reinforcement from her big brother. You know your Ma's still not sure she should be a cop, right? I remember how hard it was on my mom when I joined the force.

And while you're at it, maybe you could mention that there are other precincts out there besides the 27th? It just hasn't been the same since Welsh retired, and I think – no I _know_ – she'd be happier somewhere else. I'm going to talk to her about it too, but again, hearing it from you might help.

Anyhow, enough of that. Drop me a line or give me a call sometime, or better yet, let me know when you and Stella are back in town next. It would be great to see you. I know we weren't the closest of friends when we worked together, but I definitely think we were more than just colleagues.

Love to you and Stella, and enjoy your warm, sand-filled Christmas. Much as I love traditions, the weather you'll get sounds pretty good. I'm already tired of scraping ice off my windshield, and avoiding idiots who don't remember how to drive on ice.

Elaine

 

**NORTH**

Dear Benton,

Thank you for the lovely Christmas card – did you draw the scene yourself? If that's really the view you get to wake up to, I can see why you wanted to return to Canada. Not that I could deal with that much snow on a daily basis, but you made it seem so serene, almost like something from a fairy tale. Definitely a contrast to the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago, where the snow's only white 'til it hits the ground.

I really appreciated your letter, too. It's good to hear that you and Ray have settled in so well. More power to you for being willing to deal with his hyperness on daily basis. 

Things with me are good, and thank you for asking. Still loving being a detective, and I think my new partner and I finally found our groove. It was hard, after Simmons died. Took a long time to be willing to let someone new really get to know me well enough to be a team. But my Lieu was right – Davis and I complement each other well, and he's been patient with me, which helped. We aren't really friends, not yet, but we're getting there, and I do trust him to have my back. That's a start, right?

You can tell your nosy partner that no, I'm not seeing anyone right now, and if he wants to bug me about it he has to get in line behind my mom. You did see the PS he added to your last letter, right? And Davis is married, so he can stop any matchmaking ideas right now. Honestly, just because you two made it work, doesn't mean we all have to find our true loves on the job. Feel free to tease him about it on my behalf, much as you want. And if he has a problem with it, he can call and tell me himself. 

Matter of fact, he should call. Both of you should – been too long since I've heard any good Fraser/Kowalski case stories.

Take care of each other (like I even have to say that), give Diefenbaker a good scratch behind the ears for me, and I hope to hear from you soon. Just, remember the time difference please?

Love to you both,  
Elaine


End file.
